Manila: The national police has formed an oversight body that will keep track of the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

It may be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte had made the campaign against use and smuggling of illegal substance as one of the main agendas of his fledgling administration. Various non-government bodies were eager to keep track of its performance amid a rash of reports that some law enforcers have overstepped the limits of their mandate. This development also comes alongside reports over the rash of extrajudicial killings since the 72-year-old former prosecutor assumed authority last month.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is closely monitoring the anti-drugs campaign carried out by its personnel.

“The PNP is keeping tabs on the performance of PNP line units in the implementation of Project Double Barrel against illegal drugs,” the chief state law enforcement arm said in a statement issued on Tuesday as it referred to the government’s all-out campaign against substance trafficking.

“The PNP Oversight Committee reviewed the performance of each Police Regional Office based on Project Double Barrel Weekly Monitoring Reports since July 1, 2016, that indicates the number of houses visited; pushers and users who surrendered; drug personalities killed and arrested; implementation of search warrants and warrants of arrest; and drug interdiction operations conducted,” it said.

It added that regional oversight committees will be formed to assess and evaluate the anti-drugs campaign.

The PNP has been a target of criticism since it carried out the massive anti-drugs drive. The law enforcement agency had boasted of gains in its campaign, but independent watchdogs such as the Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) said that while the campaign may be bloody, it appears to come short of delivering on its objective on curbing the drug menace.

“Comparative analysis found that while Duterte’s war on drugs has inflicted more casualties (213), arrested more suspects (3,005) and recorded more people voluntarily surrendering (116,466) from July 1 to 21, it has yielded only a small amount of seized illegal drugs and other substances relative to the human casualties,” CMFR said.

For its part, the New York-based Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (UNCB) to look into the Duterte administration’s current drive against illegal substance and take actions “for an immediate halt to the killings.”

“International drug control agencies need to make clear to Philippines’ President Roderigo Duterte that the surge in killings of suspected drug dealers and users is not acceptable ‘crime control,’ but instead a government failure to protect people’s most fundamental human rights,” said Phelim Kline, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director.

Days before Duterte took reins of the government, there had been a rash of killings of supposed drugs suspects. Bodies turned up during the evening with cardboard tags strung around their necks claiming the fatalities were drug pushers or drug lords. In some cases, suspects were assassinated in broad daylight or where mysteriously shot by police after the victims allegedly resisted arrest.

Human Rights Watch called on government to promote an “evidence-based and health-focused approach to people who use drugs, including voluntary treatment and harm reduction services, instead of compulsory detention.”